what are the grades of hardwood

A Practical Guide to Hardwood Flooring Grades

• Clear Grade. This is the wood referred to by the NHLA as FAS (Firsts and Seconds). ...
• Select Grade. Like Clear Grade, Select Grade wood will show a fairly consistent face, largely free of “imperfections”.
• #1 Common Grade. It is in the Common Grades that natural wood character is really allowed to shine. ...
• #2 Common Grade. ...
• Cabin Grade. ...
• Character Marks. ...

Full Answer

What are the grades of hardwood flooring?

Flooring Grades

• Red Oak and White Oak Flooring Grades. Below is the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) grade descriptions for Red Oak and White Oak and continuing down are the grade descriptions ...
• Domestic Hardwood Flooring Grades. ...
• Exotic Flooring Grades. ...

What is Grade 1 lumber?

When referring to fence boards, this grade is often called Appearance Grade. #1 Grade: When appearance becomes more of a factor, #1 Grade will contain smaller, fewer, sound, tight knots and have less wane than found in #2 Grade.

What do wood flooring grades mean?

Wood Flooring Grades measure hardwood planks on a scale of ABCDEF. Each grade has associated characteristics that are taken into account, such as size of knots, sap ...

What are the different grades of lumber?

Softwood Lumber Grades

• Nonstress Lumber Grades. Contains moderate number of tight knots. ...
• Appearance Lumber Grades. With appearance lumber, there is additional emphasis on the physical look of the lumber given that it may be exposed once installed, e.g. ...
• Stress-Graded Lumber Grades. ...

What is the best hardwood grade?

Grades are based on the amount of usable clear material in a board. The highest grade boards are FAS and Select, followed by #1 Common and #2 Common.

What are the 3 grades of hardwood?

We already know the three most common types of oak hardwood flooring: Select, #1 Common and #2 Common (a.k.a., rustic grade). Flooring manufacturers have their own grading standards, others may also comply with national grading rules, and some flooring styles have no grade at all — antique flooring, for example.

Which is the lowest grade of hardwood?

No 3B CommonFAS is the highest and No 3B Common is the lowest grade.

What is the highest grade wood?

FASFAS (First and Second) is the highest grade of hardwood lumber. It's usually 6-inches x 8-inches and is 83 percent defect-free on its best side. Select is 4-inches x 6-inches and 83 percent defect free on its best side.

What is the difference between #1 and #2 hardwood flooring?

Select grade is the most expensive of the three, with #1 being a bit cheaper, and #2 Rustic grade costing considerably less than Select. SELECT grade has very few imperfections or character markings. Select grade will be almost uniform in color, with very few knots or holes, and longer, similar length boards.

How can you tell the quality of hardwood floors?

0:332:41How To Tell the Quality of Wood Flooring? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou need to view the overall appearance of them first you need to compare the wear layer thickness.MoreYou need to view the overall appearance of them first you need to compare the wear layer thickness. And color of the top layer. The thicker the top layer the longer it will last pay.

What is 1st quality hardwood?

#1 Common Grade The Common grades introduce more variations, markings, and natural appearance into the hardwood. The #1 Common Grade shows off natural swirls, streaks, and other designs in the grain, though these characteristics will be smaller and subtler than in later grades.

What are considered premium hardwood?

Premium Hardwood refers to narra, molave, dao, kamagong, ipil, acacia, akle, apawit, banuyo, batikuling, hetis, bolangeta, teak, tindalo, and manggis (Par. 1,DENR Administrative No. 78, Series of 1987).

Which hardwood flooring is the hardest?

IpeGenerally speaking, the hardest wood for flooring is Ipe (or Lapacho). However, this is very hard to find, due to its rarity. This also makes it a very expensive flooring product. Therefore, more widely available, and hardwearing are Hickory and Maple flooring.

What is the cheapest wood?

Woodworking on a Budget: What is the Least Expensive Hardwood?Hardwood TypeTypical CostMaple(Soft)$3 – $7 /Board-footPoplar$2 – $5 /Board-footAlder$6 – $8 / Board-footWhite Oak$6 – $8 / Board-foot5 more rows•Jun 13, 2022

What is the hardest wood in the United States?

What is the hardest wood in North America? Of locally available woods, Black Ironwood is typically the strongest type of wood you can find in America. It's found in Florida and has a 3,660 lbf (16,280 N) Janka rating.

What's the hardest wood?

1. Australian Buloke – 5,060 IBF. An ironwood tree that is native to Australia, this wood comes from a species of tree occurring across most of Eastern and Southern Australia. Known as the hardest wood in the world, this particular type has a Janka hardness of 5,060 lbf.

What is 1st quality hardwood?

#1 Common Grade The Common grades introduce more variations, markings, and natural appearance into the hardwood. The #1 Common Grade shows off natural swirls, streaks, and other designs in the grain, though these characteristics will be smaller and subtler than in later grades.

What is the difference between #1 and #2 red oak?

Select grade is generally considered the highest grade as it has the least color variation. It costs the more. This is followed by No 1 which has more color variation and some occasional knots, and that is followed by No 2 which has a lot more color variation and knots.

What are considered premium hardwood?

Premium Hardwood refers to narra, molave, dao, kamagong, ipil, acacia, akle, apawit, banuyo, batikuling, hetis, bolangeta, teak, tindalo, and manggis (Par. 1,DENR Administrative No. 78, Series of 1987).

Which hardwood flooring is the hardest?

IpeGenerally speaking, the hardest wood for flooring is Ipe (or Lapacho). However, this is very hard to find, due to its rarity. This also makes it a very expensive flooring product. Therefore, more widely available, and hardwearing are Hickory and Maple flooring.

What is the grade of hardwood?

The grade levels for hardwood are Clear Grade, Select and Better, No 1 and No 2. However, there are terms that are sometimes used such as “Character Grade” for species such as Hickory and Maple.

Why is hardwood graded?

The hardwood grading system was created to help both home-buyers, sellers, and flooring professionals to have a common point of reference for describing batches of wood with similar qualities.

What is a common grade 3?

Common Grade No 3 This grade is often referred to as character or cabin grade because of all the blemishes. Known as “the rustic grade,” these hardwood pieces are anything but uniform. It has knots, worm holes, and sap and heart wood color variations, dark and light pieces. This grade definitely has character. Many times, No 3 Common will have a mix of No 1 and No 2 along with some other pieces of hardwood that simply don’t hold up to the higher grades.

Does grade affect hardwood?

The Grade of the hardwood does not affect its quality in terms of how structurally sound the floor will be. But if you’re expecting a solid and more uniform look to your new hardwood floors, then the select grade is recommended to achieve that level of clarity and uniformity.

Is each plank uniform?

The tones of each plank aren’t as uniform, which doesn’t effect the quality of the wood either, but is definitely something you need to know if this is your choice of grade. The finished look is quite different from the finished look of the select grade.

How much of the wood is high grade?

In the wood flooring business, the goal that every manufacturer seeks is lumber clean enough to make their Select floors. Unfortunately, only about 60% of the tree will become the high-graded material.

What is cabin grade?

Cabin grade is pulled out after the finishing process is complete, and will be composed of any board that does not fit the grading standards of our Select products. While this definition is a bit vague, it is important that you remember how the first 2 products were chosen.

What does the red label on hardwood boards mean?

Red label is for the customer who likes more color in a hardwood grade.

Is Chateau Oak a good floor?

Chateau Oak is a 1st Quality Floor. Notice the long board length, less color variation, and no mineral steaks or wormholes. This is graded for someone who needs more consistency.

Is unfinished hardwood the same as prefinished hardwood?

Keep in mind that the grades for hardwood lumber are quite different from unfinished hardwood flooring grades, and unfinished hardwood flooring grades have very little in common with the prefinished hardwood flooring grades as set by the National Wood Flooring Association, NWFA. Confused? Yeah, me too. And that is the reason for this blog. We are setting expectations for every box of prefinished solid hardwood flooring that we sell right now.

What is hardwood grade?

Hardwood grades are based on the size and number of clear pieces that can be obtained from a board when it is cut up to be used to make a product. Grades are not determined by gut reactions to what a person thinks the grade should be, but actual measurements of clear sections and definitions for defects.

What is hardwood lumber grading?

Hardwood Lumber Grading#N#Hardwood lumber grading is a complex process using rules maintained by the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA: www.natlhardwood.org ). The NHLA rules were designed to provide the furniture industry a mathematically measurable method to grade lumber for its amount of clear, defect free wood.

What is the best grade of hardwood lumber?

The standard hardwood lumber grades are summarized below: Firsts and Seconds (FAS) The best and most expensive grade. Boards 6" and wider, 8' and longer. Yields 83-1/3 percent of clear face cuttings with minimum sizes of 4" x 5', or 3" x 7'. Board is graded from the poorer face.

What is the average size of a thrift board?

A typical thrift or "shop" grade. Boards are 3" and wider, 4' and longer. Yields 66-2/3 percent clear face cuttings with minimum sizes of 4" x 2', or 3" x 3'. Provides good value, especially if relatively small pieces can be used.

How wide is a board?

Boards are 3" and wider, 4' and longer. Yields 50 percent clear face cuttings 3" and wider by 2' and longer. Suitable for some paneling and flooring applications.

What size board is best for a clear cut?

1 Common. Boards are 4" and wider, 6' and longer. Yields 83-1/3 percent clear face cuttings with minimum sizes of 4" x 5', or 3" x 7'. A cost effective substitute for FAS when only one good face is required or smaller cuttings are acceptable.

What is the best grade for molding?

The upper grades, FAS, F1F and SEL, are most suitable for mouldings, joinery products such as door frames, architectural interiors and furniture requiring a high percentage of long wide cuttings. It should be noticed that FAS - the highest grade - is not synonymous with being 100% clear material.

Why do hardwood floors have grades?

All hardwood floors have grades—names used to explain the amount of color variation visible in hardwood planks. The grades also enable us to categorize hardwood floors according to other character marks, like knots, mineral streaks, and worm holes.

Is grade 1 hardwood better than grade 2?

The NOFMA has laid out four distinct grades of hardwood floors. They are not a top-to-bottom list; Grade 1 is no better than Grade 2. It’s just a way to describe a look so you can choose what you want.

What is #1 common grade wood?

It is in the Common Grades that natural wood character is really allowed to shine. In #1 Common, you will see characteristics like swirls, knots, and streaks in a good number of the boards, though these will be limited in size and prominence. When you look at a #1 Common Grade floor, you know are reminded that you are looking at a natural, organic material. #1 Common is an excellent choice for those who wish their floors to be a centerpiece of the room. The Common Grades are also the most forgiving choice for high traffic areas or homes with pets or lively children, as dings and scratches are easily masked among the natural imperfections of the wood.

What is clear grade wood?

Clear Grade. This is the wood referred to by the NHLA as FAS (Firsts and Seconds). It is premium grade wood and, as its category name suggests, its face is pretty much free of character marks like knots and burls. The grain of Clear Grade boards will tend to be quite consistent, as will the color from board to board.

What is NOFMA grading?

NOFMA grades, then, are large ly an indicator of what the face of a board can be expected to look like, rather than an assessment of inherent quality, stability, hardness, or other factors.

What are grub holes in wood?

As the name suggest, these are small imperfections in the face of a board caused by worms making their way through the tree while it was alive . Generally these are no more than ¼ inch wide, though sometimes larger grubs can create virtual trenches, known as grub holes. That latter, however, are no permitted in flooring grade wood, with the occasional exception of Cabin Grade.

What is cabin grade flooring?

Cabin Grade flooring is popular for spaces such as, well, cabins, but also playrooms, workshops, and other areas where the floors might be subject to much abuse. Cabin Grade is, as might be expected, substantially cheaper than other grades, but bundles also are likely to include a higher number of boards that you will simply not want to use.

Why does cherry wood have streaks?

Streaks are generally cause by mineral deposits within a tree’s rings, though Cherry wood also sometimes displays gum streaks, an area of wood darkened by the tree’s own sap. Streaks are just what they sound like – long thin areas of the wood that are a different color from the rest due to the presence of certain minerals.

Is it easier to find engineered clear grade lumber?

Since boards that can be graded as Clear are somewhat rare, it is often easier to find engineered Clear Grade, as a single piece of clear lumber goes much further when sliced thin for engineered boards than it would as a solid floor board. For the same reason, Clear Grade wood will almost always cost more than other grades.

How many grades of hardwood are there?

Other than slight modifications every once and awhile, the rules have been relatively stable since that time. There are eight hardwood lumber grades in widespread use today.

What is the difference between higher and lower grades of lumber?

In short, the higher grades of lumber have more large clear area than the lower grades. The basic concept of grading is that the grade of all lumber is determined from the poorest face or side of the lumber, with a few cases considering the better face as well.

What is the NHLA grading system?

Today, NHLA grading rules are not only the dominant grading system for hardwood lumber in the United States, but also form the basis for much of the international trade in hardwoods. Most hardwood lumber produced in this country is graded using the rules developed and maintained by the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA).

What is the ratio of the volume of parts to the volume of lumber called?

When cutting hardwood lumber into a usable piece of wood, often referred to as parts, the ratio of the volume of parts to the volume of lumber is called yield, and is usually expressed in percentages. In general, the higher the grade of lumber, the higher the yield.

What is 1 face lumber?

1 Common (often called Common or just No. 1) is the standard furniture grade lumber, and provides a good selection of long, medium length, and short cuttings at a reasonable price.

Do you need a certified lumber grader?

Unlike softwood lumber, where the grade reflects the strength and therefore the load carrying capacity and safety of a particular piece when used in construction, hardwood lumber grading does not require a certified or licensed grader. Anyone can grade; however, a trained grader will probably be more accurate and quicker than an untrained grader.

Is hardwood lumber a grade?

Also, unlike softwood lumber, hardwood lumber is not marked with a uniform system of symbols or stamps indicating the grade, although there may be some crayon marks that make sense to a grader or a particular mill. The grading rules are quite complex and require study.

What is the highest grade board?

The highest grade boards are long, wide and free of defects. Boards featuring character marks are not premium grade, but they are preferred for built-ins and many other applications because they add character and visual interest. They're also a great choice for applications where wood will be painted or not be visible.

What is the NHLA grading system?

The NHLA grading system, which is used by buyers and sellers of hardwood lumber, describes the amount of "usable" clear material in a board. The highest grade boards are long, wide and free of defects.